Analyzing The National 250 At Autodrome St-Eustache
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 22, 2014) – The 2014 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 will head to Quebec for the third of four events in the province this year with the National 250 on Saturday at Autodrome St-Eustache. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at the track:
St-Eustache Setup:
- Quebec’s L.P. Dumoulin brings the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 points lead into this week’s event at Autodrome St-Eustache. He has finished top-five in the three previous oval events this year, including his first circle track win last week at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway.
- Jason Hathaway has three wins and four additional podiums in his last 10 oval starts. He won at Quebec’s Autodrome Chaudiere in June.
- Defending series champion Scott Steckly has won three of the five all-time ASE events, and is still looking for his first trip to Victory Lane in 2014.
- Ten of Andrew Ranger’s 19 career victories have been earned in his native Quebec, but he has yet to earn a checkered flag at ASE.
At Autodrome St-Eustache:
History
- Was founded in 1965 as Fury Speedway de Fabreville, and the current configuration has played host various types of racing since 1970. The track was purchased by Alan Labrosse prior to the 2008 race season.
- Facility also includes a one-mile road course and .125-mile drag strip.
- Was a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series member track from 2004-09, and returned to the weekly program for the 2014 season.
- Welcomed the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series for four events from 2008-10, and again in 2013.
- Was the only oval in Quebec to play host to a NCATS event prior to 2014.
Notebook
- Scott Steckly won the inaugural NCATS Autodrome St-Eustache event on July 5, 2008.
- The previous five events have produced three different race victors, led by Steckly’s three.
- Each of the five prior races has featured a different polesitter.
- Six drivers have participated in all five events, and four are expected to extend the streak this week.
- A driver has yet to win from the pole, and only one event has run beyond the scheduled 250-lap distance.
- The five events have averaged 11 lead changes, with a high of 16 in the July 2009 race.
- Dodge has been the winning manufacturer in all five events.
Autodrome St-Eustache Data
Race #: 6 of 11
Track Layout: .4-mile asphalt oval
Race Length: 250 laps (100 miles)
TV Coverage: TSN – Sun., Aug. 3, 11 a.m.; RDS2 – Sat., Aug. 9, 1:30 p.m.
Qualifying/Race Data
2013 Race Winner: Scott Steckly
2013 Pole Winner: Ron Beauchamp Jr.
Qualifying Record: D.J. Kennington, Dodge, 83.672 mph, 17.210 secs., July 12, 2009
Category Leaders at Autodrome St-Eustache:Wins
1. Scott Steckly … 3
2. D.J. Kennington … 1
Dave Whitlock … 1
Poles
1. five drivers with … 1
Top Fives
1. Scott Steckly … 5
2. Ron Beauchamp Jr. … 3
D.J. Kennington … 3
Top 10s
1. Scott Steckly … 5
2. Ron Beauchamp Jr. … 4
Kerry Micks … 4
Andrew Ranger … 4
Laps Led
1. Scott Steckly … 381
2. Andrew Ranger … 230
3. Kerry Micks … 133
Laps Completed
1. Scott Steckly … 1,259 (all)
2. Ron Beauchamp Jr. … 1,258
3. Jason Hathaway … 1,227
Select Driver Highlights:
Mark Dilley (No. 02 Johnsonville/Leland/BDI Ford)
- Has three wins, 28 top fives and 46 top 10s in 80 career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 starts.
- Has competed in four of five races this year, highlighted by a runner-up finish at Autodrome Chaudiere.
- Has an average finish of 14th and a best result of fifth (2009 opener) in four previous Autodrome St-Eustache starts.
L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge)
- The 2011 NCATS Rookie of the Year has three wins, a pole, 14 top fives and 22 top 10s in 42 career starts.
- First two career triumphs came at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in a 2013 season sweep of events at the road course. He became the first back-to-back winner there in series history.
- Leads the championship standings with top-five finishes in all five races, highlighted by his first career oval win last time out at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway.
- Finished sixth last year in his first appearance at ASE.
J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet)
- Has nine wins, shares the series record with 14 poles, has 39 top fives and 58 top 10s in 83 career starts.
- Won the 2014 opener at CTMP to extend his series record for wins at the road course to four.
- Held the points lead following the first four races of the season and now ranks second with top 10s in all five events.
- Has finishes of fifth (2008), eighth (2010) and third (2013) in three previous ASE starts.
Alex Guenette (No. 39 Motos Illimitees Dodge)
- The 2013 NCATS Rookie of the Year has seven top 10s in 14 career starts.
- Established a then-career-best finish of second at ASE last year in his only previous start there.
- Has two starts this year, including a runner-up finish at Circuit ICAR that matched his personal best.
Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Pro Point/Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet)
- Has four wins and 56 top 10s in 92 career starts. Is one of three drivers to compete in every race in NCATS history.
- Ranks fourth in points this season, highlighted by a win at Chaudiere and podiums the last two times out.
- All four of his career wins have been earned on ovals, including three of his last six circle track starts.
- Has three top 10s, an average finish of ninth and a best result of fourth (2010) in the five previous ASE races.
D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge)
- The 2010 and 2012 NCATS champion. Maintains series record for career wins (tied-19), top fives (64) and top 10s (77), and is one of three drivers to start each of the 92 all-time events.Also ranks second in series history in laps led (2,754) and fifth in poles (10).
- Holds the NCATS record for most career oval victories with 16. Has won at eight different circle tracks, including ASE. All 10 of his career poles have been earned ovals.
- Has a streak of 55-consecutive races without at DNF. Last DNF came at Riverside International Speedway in 2007.
- Ranks fifth in points after five events with a best result of fifth in both the CTMP opener and at Edmonton International Raceway.
- Has a win (2010), a pole (2009), three top fives and an average finish of seventh in the five previous ASE events.
Alex Labbe (No. 72 Lou’s BBQ/VR Victoriaville Dodge)
- Has three top 10s in six career starts with a best result of fourth this year at Circuit ICAR.
- This will be his first oval start in NCATS competition.
Jeff Lapcevich (No. 76 Tim Hortons Dodge)
- Has a pole and 35 top 10s in 55 career NCATS starts.
- Has competed in two of five events so far this year – the two road course contests.
- Only previous ASE starts came in 2009 when he finished 19th in the opener and 18th in the return date.
Steve Mathews (No. 15 Bill Mathews Motors Ford)
- Has three poles and nine top 10s in 28 career starts. All nine of his top 10s have come at oval tracks.
- Has started four of five races this year. Tied his career-best finish with a third-place effort at Chaudiere after he captured the pole and led a career-high 64 laps.
- Only previous start at ASE was a 12th place finish in 2010.
Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Mopar/Exide Dodge)
- The 2007 and 2009 champion is tied for the series all-time lead in both wins (19) and poles (14). Has 41 top fives and 57 top 10s in 66 career NCATS starts.
- Of his 19 career triumphs, 15 have come on road courses. Earned his fourth oval win this year at EIR while the first three came in 2009.
- Ranks third in points with wins at ICAR and EIR, and an additional top five last time out at ACMS.
- Has an average finish of sixth and a best result of fourth (2008 and 2009) in four previous ASE races.
Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/Sylvania Dodge)
- Has a series-leading three championships (2008, `11, `13) through the first seven years of NCATS competition.
- Owner of 15 wins, 13 poles, 56 top fives and 69 top 10s in 92 career starts. His top fives and top 10s totals rank second all-time while his wins and poles sit third in the record book. Is the all-time leader in laps led at 3,472.
- All 15 of his career triumphs have come on ovals. He’s won at eight different circle tracks, including ASE.
- Ranks sixth in points after five races, highlighted by a third place finish last time out at ACMS.
- Has three wins (2008, `09, `13), an average finish of second and a record 381 laps led in five ASE races. Other two finishes there were fourth (2009) and second (2010).
Alex Tagliani (No. 18 EpiPen/Dicom Express Dodge)
- Has a win, five poles, six top fives and an additional two top 10s in 20 career NCATS starts. The victory was earned at Edmonton City Centre Airport in 2008.
- Missed the CTMP opener to compete in Indianapolis 500 qualifying, but has an average finish of ninth in the four races since, including a pair of top fives.
- Best finish in eight career oval starts is fifth, recorded last time out at ACMS.
- Finished 24th in his only previous ASE start, which was the series’ inaugural 2008 event.
Up To Speed:
- The 2014 season is the eighth for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.
- The 2014 schedule features 11 races at 10 different tracks across five provinces.
- J.R. Fitzpatrick opened the campaign with a dominant victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on May 18. Andrew Ranger set the track record in qualifying.
- Steve Mathews earned his third career pole and Jason Hathaway took the checkered flag for the fourth time in his career on June 15 in the series’ inaugural visit to Autodrome Chaudiere. The race was postponed one day due to rain.
- Ranger swept the weekend at Circuit ICAR with his second straight pole and third win in a row in the event on July 6.
- The western swing began on July 11 with the series’ inaugural visit to Edmonton International Raceway. Alex Tagliani earned his fifth career pole and Ranger took down a second straight victory.
- L.P. Dumoulin closed out the western swing in Victory Lane at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway on July 16. Scott Steckly earned the pole.
- Following the National 250, the series will return to Quebec on Aug. 10 for the JuliaWine.com Le 50 Tours at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres.
